Oh Bulma, It Was Just A Dream!
by Miss AbbyM
Summary: Everyone says that nightmares can't kill you...but what if they can?  Is there anything Vegeta can do to save Bulma?   B/V, G/C
1. Tears Of A Broken Prince

**Disclaimer: Hi Everyone! I'd love to say that DBZ belongs to me, but I'm not Pinocchio, and I don't think a wooden nose growing out from face would be very attractive on me. So just to clarify, no *sigh*, I do not own DBZ…and Pinocchio belongs to the Disney Corp. **

**A/N: Everyone says that nightmares can't kill you...but what if they can? Is there anything Vegeta can do to save Bulma? **

**A/N2: Btw...it may seem that Vegeta is OOC, but please stop and think about it. If you're completely insecure on the inside, anything that hurts you will snap you like a twig and emotions that people do not think you experience or have will come out with a vengeance. I'm just sayin'.. ;)  
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**Ch. 1 – Tears of a Broken Prince**

"You filthy whore! Get out! Get out of my face before I fucking kill you!" he viciously spat at her "How could you fucking do it? After all we've gone through, all that we've created…fuckin' a Bulma, ALL THAT I'VE SACRIFICED FOR YOU!" His words were coming in a torrent; Bulma had never seen him like this. She was scared. Actually scared of him for the first time in her life. His eyes were on fire, seething, and full of hate. Hate that was directed at her. A trickle of sweat began a slow decent from the back of his nape, the muscles in his neck twitching, mimicking the movements of his agitated tail. His arms at his sides, the tremors visible, trying to keep them there and not reach out to wrap his hands around her neck, as he so desperately wanted to do. Yes. For the first time in his life….he wanted her to die, and he wanted to be the cause of her death.

As she was causing his.

"God, Vegeta, please, please! I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry!" Bulma sobbed. The pained look in his eyes, so hurt…the betrayal clearly visible, etched across his beautiful face. She longed so much to take away the anguish that she had given to him. To run to him, hold him in her arms, to run her hands across his beautiful body and soothe him, to kiss the tears away from his grief-stricken face. She took a step back and gasped. Tears coming from the eyes of her prince. His pain and anguish not just manifesting physically, but was shaking her to the soul as well, his despair and broken heart radiating out through their rapidly deterioration bond. Her hand shakily reached out for him, as she tried to touch him through her mind.

"Vegeta…" It was hard. It was so hard to reach him telepathically, it was as if, as if the unseen bridge that linked them together not just in body, but also in mind and spirit was rapidly crumbling, a look of horror crossing her face as she saw Vegeta recoil right before her eyes as she tried to touch him.

"Stop! Stop it you fucking bitch! How dare you do that! You have no right, NO RIGHT to use that anymore! You've defiled everything, everything that we've built together, everything that the bond stood for! How dare you! How dare you do this to me, Bulma, how dare you betray me like this! For God's sake…the one person I finally let into my heart, the one person in this whole fucking universe I needed with all that I am, the one I needed to save me from the loneliness and darkness of this wretched life of mine, to stand by my side and LOVE ME unconditionally as I do for you, even though I resisted with all my might, I did, I let everything go because I love you with all my heart…" he whispered, weeping, completely and utterly weeping right before her horrified eyes. He fell to his knees, a completely broken man. His heart and spirit wretched and crumpled like some old newspaper in uncaring hands. The Prince of All Saiyans, the most arrogant, prideful, strongest man she knew…and the most loyal she'd ever known, well, up until now.

Was dying right in front of her.

A sharp pain shot through her mind, and then, nothing. He stopped and looked up at her, a completely alien look dropping across his face. None of his emotions, good or bad, could be seen. A chill ran through Bulma, she didn't know which frightened her more, the look of pain and betrayal in his eyes, the want of her murder by his bare hands…

Or the blank stare of emptiness from the man kneeling before her.

Their bond had been destroyed.


	2. Finally Awake

**Disclaimer: Nope. I do not own DBZ. That is all. :)**

**A/N: I'm flabbergasted people like this! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Gosh, I hope I don't disappoint you all, please let me know, thanks again! :)**

**Ch 2 - Awaken**

Her cries of agony and loss broke the peacefulness of their slumber. Vegeta had been shocked and annoyed, proceeding to curse at his mate and her nightmare for waking him up. But after awhile, he realized her convulsions were very out of the ordinary and that something was very wrong, she wasn't responding and giving him hell as he tried to wake her.

"Woman! WOMAN WAKE UP! BULMA!"

She opened her eyes, looking at her husband who was shaking her, one arm still cradling her, holding her close, the other repeatedly rocking her, trying to get her back to the waking world. Vegeta stopped when cyan eyes came forth, but he could see the absolute pain and horror staring back at him as he tenderly brushed aside some damp hair from her face. He was examining her intently, seeing his wife still quivering, the sweat clinging to her body, soaking her negligee. He frowned more than he'd ever done so before as his free hand absently ran up and down her side, trying to soothe her to the point that what he was now witnessing in her eyes would disappear.

"Bulma. Bulma…can you hear me?" She was looking straight at him, but he felt that she still wasn't fully with him. He didn't like this one bit. Something she had dreamt about had done this to her, and he could feel her struggling to make it back to him.

"Bulma, Woman, can you hear me?" He tried to touch her mind, the bridge that was normally strong and easily accessible, seemed to be unstable and extremely fragile. He suppressed a gasp of surprise and fear, what the fuck happened to his mate?

"Vegeta?" a thin, small voice echoed distantly to him. He turned around looking for the source of the voice, but all he could see was a thick layer of fog preventing him from seeing where she was coming from.

"Bulma! Come to me, you know where I am, I know you can feel me. Follow my energy, woman." Vegeta was boring a hole into his mate's eyes, seeing the flicker of recognition struggling to break free as he encouraged her to come to him telepathically. His brows furrowed down further from his forehead as he willed her to keep fighting, to come back to him.

"Don't you fuckin' let go, Woman. I've given up too many things and sacrificed everything for you to just leave me!" At this statement, Bulma suddenly screamed and shot out of the bed, eyes wild and terrified, not recognizing him, or anything in their room, trying to escape, like a caged animal trapped in a small prison. Her heart was racing wildly, breathing so broken and unstable, one more shock to her system and it would have been all over for her.

"Woman!" Vegeta roared. Bulma froze and finally focused on the angry Saiyan crouched in a fighting stance on their bed. His eyes full of fire and relief, that washed over him as he saw that his mate was finally back to this world, finally back to him. She was trembling uncontrollably, her breathing was still ragged, a light sheen of sweat coating her slight figure. Wearily she leaned against the wall, her legs unable to support her any longer, and she began to slide down the wall, exhausted.

But someone wouldn't allow her to fall again.

Her prince jumped off the bed and ran to his mate, catching her before she hit the ground. Bulma looked up into his eyes, running a shaky hand lightly over his face, trying to caress the frown and fear out of him. All she could see was the love and care he had for her, and she rewarded him with a tiny smile as she leaned up to feebly reconnect with him. Vegeta practically pulled a muscle bending down to meet her soft lips. The instant they met, the bridge between them was reformed and he could feel her love, gratitude…and overwhelming relief. He frowned at her and was going to ask her, but his puzzlement turned into alarm and concern as tears began falling from her eyes, and Vegeta could feel the weight of immense despair and sadness coming from her. He held her even tighter in his embrace and floated them both to their bed, never breaking their contact before she was ready, if he did that he knew that would be devastating…and would destroy her. He gently wiped her tears away and moved to placing kisses all along her face, not saying anything, letting his touches, caresses and kisses do the talking for him. He could feel her tiny body shaking and felt the wetness of her tears again sliding down his jaw and dropping onto his chest. He leaned back and placed his fingers under her chin, willing her to meet his gaze.

"Woman. What happened? What's wrong?"

"…I destroyed you. I destroyed us." Bulma whispered, the pain of recollection coming back with a vengeance "I betrayed you, our son, our love…" her tears began flowing freely again, her despair so real even Vegeta could feel its weight "I…I lost you." She buried her head in her hands, sobbing, trying to run away.

But then again, when you have a Saiyan, an ascended Super Saiyan for a husband, it's kind of hard to be faster than his grasp. So Vegeta caught her easily, and pulled her back onto his lap and held her there as she weakly struggled to get away. He waited a long time until she surrendered to his hand comforting her, trying to ease the pain away.

"As you can see woman, I've not gone anywhere. Trunks is sound asleep at Kakkarot's house. You've not lost him." He looked at her squarely in her eyes and held her stare, for a long time, unblinking. All of a sudden Bulma started to well up again as Vegeta closed the gap between them and kissed her again. "And as my heart and soul has just told you, I'll repeat that again so that it'll get through your thickheaded skull. Even death cannot separate us; no amount of imagined betrayal can do that. We have bonded, Bulma. Not just by body, but through our soul. As I've said a long time ago, this type of bonding is very rare, and now only Kakkarot and his mate and we know the true meaning of a soul bond. I HEAR your thoughts, I FEEL your emotions, sometimes even before you're even aware of them, just as you do of mine. I do not know where this is coming from or why this is happening now, but after all we've been through together, do you still doubt the bond we have that you are easily frightened of an imagined scenario, that which I KNOW you'd never do to me? There is nothing that will take you away from me. Besides" he paused and again wiped her tears away, bending down to kiss her again, deeply, pouring all the love he had for her in that kiss before moving down to her neck and lovingly showering the bite mark he'd given to her so very long ago with nips and more kisses, smirking against her neck as she relaxed and leaned into his touch "there is no one on this blasted planet better looking or sexier or has a better butt than me. And you damn well know that." All she could do was laugh, a full-fledged, welcomed laugh as she could only agree with the arrogant but yes, truly handsome and sexy Saiyan. Vegeta grinned naughtily back at her and gave another long kiss, soft and languid as he eased back onto the pillows, taking her with him. As with every night, he held his wife close to him, but in the wee hours of this morning, he made damn sure she felt secure in his love for her. He waited until she drifted peacefully back to sleep, watching her for some time before letting it reclaim him too.

'I'm going to find out what happened to you, Bulma. Tell me…what did you see?'


	3. Attack From Within

**Disclaimer: Shogujo is mine, and I love DBZ…but alas, I don't own them. :-( **

**A/N: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for such awesome comments! I absolutely love, love, love them! Hehehe...I wonder if anyone can guess who's behind this? ;-)**

**Ch. 3 – Attack From Within**

"Bulma…uh...Bulma, you taste so good, baby." She was sweating. A sheen all over her body, trembling from the shivers running up and down her body, culminating and meeting where his head was currently devouring her, licking her inner thigh, his fingers playing with her juices seeping from her slick folds. Every now and then, he lifted his head, dark ebony eyes watching her, writhe and jerk in every which way, matching his strokes into her. Her fingers were at her side, helpless against the sweet torture, balling and then releasing the sheets. But he grew tired of just lavishing her thigh, though beautiful as it were.

He wanted more, he needed to hear her scream his name.

He stopped and rose above her, bringing his fingers to his lips, waiting for her to notice the missing sensations. His fingers hovered there against his lips, her juices running down his hand until she came back down to Earth and locked her eyes onto him. Another round of wetness leaked out between her legs as he held her gaze, and she saw him slowly licking her juices off of his fingers, a sigh escaping her swollen lips. Each finger slowly cleaned, watching him savor the sweet taste of her. She propped herself up, and silently asked him to meet her, a smile at the corner of his lips as he bent down to her. They're lips met, and she could taste herself on him as she begged entrance into his mouth, moaning as she was allowed in. He wrapped one strong arm around her and held her close to him, controlling her, massaging her tongue, one hand in between her legs, again separating her folds to delve deep within. She moaned plaintively in his mouth, her hips jerking wildly as he played with her, her hands holding onto him, little, bloody crescent moons forming on his back as she was wracked with pleasure. He only growled in response, her reaction feeding his feral nature, his member throbbing painfully against her thigh.

He pulled back, lust and hunger in his eyes, mirroring what he saw in hers. Her gaze was clouded as he was still manipulating her, a little more intently, his fingers pumping into her, her voice hitching with each motion, lips parted, transfixed under his gaze, unable to look away.

He closed the gap against her again, capturing her lips, feeling her shudder helplessly against him as her orgasm neared. She was rocking feverishly against his hand, her hair plastered to her back as she leaned back, guttural, animalistic sounds emanating from her. He settled comfortably into her neck, inhaling deeply of her scent, her desire and lust for him clearly apparent and pronounced, a deep-seated ferocity awakening within him. His growl excited her more, heightening the intensity of her pleasure causing her to rocket over the edge, as waves of pleasure crashed into her, her voice parched at the magnitude of her scream. He released her suddenly and she tumbled back onto the bed, Bulma shrieking as she hit the mattress. Her cry of protest stifled in her throat though as she saw him grinning evilly at her, again looming over her. Fear encompassed her for a half-second, as he approached her, seeing her stiffen and her fear evident in her scent. He looked in her eyes again and she saw once more the man she recognized, the shadow of gentleness around his eyes. Calming the animal in him, he slowly caressed her face, silently telling her he was himself, that he wouldn't hurt her. Relaxing, she coiled around him again, slow simmering kisses between the two lovers.

Her hands travelled down, massaging his chest, feeling the muscles ripple underneath her touch as she travelled lower. He nipped and lightly nibbled her lower lips, although as she got closer to his manhood, the nipping became a bit harder and he grunted incessantly against her lips. She reached him, his smooth, velvety skin quivering as she lightly scraped his length, moaning against him in return, as she felt him pulsing in her hand. Lightly, gently, she stroked him, slow at first and then faster, loving him bucking against her hand, growling at her, his eyes becoming even darker as he looked intently into her eyes. She circled his tip and grew excited as she felt it moist, he was ready, ready for her, just as she'd been ready for him.

"P…please…please baby…" She couldn't take it anymore, every part of her body was straining, needing him to fill her and to do so now. He smiled and she saw the mischief in his eyes as he pulled back, the panic in her eyes as she thought he was pulling away…until he entered her in one quick thrust, burying himself in her completely.

She released a cry of relief, automatically rocking against him as she couldn't take his inactivity. But he had to stop. His brows knitted down as he was frowning at her, her wiggling was going to cause him to cum…and he was not going to have that so soon. He leaned his body heavily on her, to stop her, waiting for the throbbing to subside for a bit before he began to thrust into her, much to her delight. At first, smooth, long strokes, her walls clenching rhythmically, welcoming him in deep with each stab. But her moans were getting louder and louder, making him more drunk with pleasure, her vocalness and her body telling him how much she desired him.

"Oh God, Goku!" it wasn't long before the ultimate explosion came, first her, shouting and shrieking as a blinding white light ripped through her as her orgasm crashed over her again, drowning her in waves and waves of pleasure, his name leaving her lips. He loved seeing her cum, loved hearing his name leave her lips, couldn't get enough of it, and soon joined in the bliss, roaring out his own release as it overtook him, almost to the point that he marked her as his own.

But of course, that cannot happen.

Two men jolted awake, shattering the calm in one household, and adding to the horror in another.

How could he? How the fuck could she?

Oh shit! What the hell was that!

Goku looked wildly around, his tail lashing about, his arms shaking as he held his wife close to him, her soft hair draped lightly around her as she lay on his chest. She was sound asleep, and didn't feel the race that his heart was now just coming off of, and for the better. He stared at the ceiling, trying to make head or tails of what he just dreamt, shivering at the alien nature of it all. Bulma was his sister. There was never anything there, where the hell did that come from? He looked down at Chi Chi, guilt weighing him down as he held her closer to him, her mew of protest at being crushed the only thing that stopped him from doing so. In the back of his mind, he felt her sleepily brush him, telling him from far away to relax, it was just a bad dream. Goku sighed deeply, and brushed her bangs aside, planting his lips on her forehead, seeing her unconsciously curve the corner of her lip in content. He felt her small hands lightly stroke his chest and he held her close again, unnerved by the memory of the dream he just had. It was a long time before he fell back to sleep, and thankfully this time, it was a dreamless one.

Vegeta's heart was equally racing, sweat tightly covering his arms as he looked down at his wife, now curled in his arms, lulled to sleep by him. Her exhaustion was still clearly evident on her face from the nightmare she'd had, and after now seeing what had her so upset, and why she felt so much despair at feeling their bond break, he understood. So now he'd seen what terrified her, and his own reaction in the nightmare; where do they go from here? He knew there was nothing between that idiot and his wife…right? They were basically brother and sister...

He looked back down at her, and saw a tear escape from her eye, landing forlornly on his arm, a frown ruining her peacefulness, almost as if she knew he'd seen what terrified her. He pulled her closer to him, his tail entwining around her waist, as he draped one leg around her as well, burying his face into her neck, again lapping at the bite mark he gave her. He lightly touched her sleeping but troubled mind and caressed her mentally, it was okay, he was not going anywhere. He felt the onset of her tears, and he squeezed her, tightening his grip on her, physically and mentally, until she fully went back to sleep again, but not before he heard very distantly her tiny voice of despair and sorrow. No, this was not real. This had never happened before, something caused this. He stayed awake, again, waiting for her to completely shut down, before finally following her into sleep, not allowing her to physically or mentally leave him.

"Master…we've met with success. If only you were able to see this with your own eyes, I think you would have loved seeing the shock and despair in his eyes." A thin, disturbing voice echoed in the darkness, its owner reviewed the readings from the large computer hidden within the depths of the mountains that showed the breaking of their bond, if only for a moment.

"Ahh Shogujo, I too wished I was there, but I will have to settle for the knowledge that soon, the monkey prince will be joining me here in hell, for destroying the only one who's ever loved him completely." A malevolent laugh bounced in the darkness of the cave, awaiting the dread that promised to rip two lives apart.


	4. A Conversation Between Two Rivals

**Oh Bulma, It Was Just A Dream!**

**Disclaimer: Love DBZ…but alas, I don't own them. :(**

**A/N: Ahh! Yay! I got another chapter up! I hope this is ok, thank you again, everyone, for being patient, I will try to update all 3 stories a little bit faster,but life and its little twists are a lot to deal with, as we all know, but regardless, thank you everyone for everything. Please r/r and tell me if this is ok, yeah? :)**

**Ch. 4 – A Conversation Between Rivals**

The battle bots circling around him, buzzing in unison, were oblivious to their comrades' plight lying on the ground, hundreds of pieces of nuts, bolts, wires and chips littering the floor. Put together, there must have been half a dozen bots, all felled at the hands of the pissed, unrelentingly angry prince. He'd holed himself in his gravity room for hours now, beating even the sun. Vegeta had only managed a couple of hours sleep, seeing what had caused Bulma's distress angering him to no extent, though directing it at her, he knew, was completely unfounded and without merit. Even the third class clown couldn't be faulted for this, though he refused to fully admit it to himself. No, there was something completely wrong with this situation, and the pain it caused his mate was heightening his agitation to new heights.

Another bot fell from a finely tightened bolt of energy that shot from the fingertips of the furious Saiyan, if it had been alive, it would have died in the air, its life force extinguished before obliterating into a multitude of pieces on the cold, hard floor. Vegeta stared at it coldly, his mind trying to make sense of all of this. He had felt the younger Saiyan's ki spike, just as he must have felt his, the shock mutually felt was enough to tell Vegeta that neither Bulma nor Goku had any control over what had transpired. Snarling in frustration, he smashed all the bits and pieces of metal to dust, a fine, faint shimmery cloud billowing effortlessly in the air, despite the gravity of the room at an inhumanely 400G. The remaining bots continued to hum silently in the air, suspended, waiting for their sensors to pick up a hint of aggression towards them before their program would kick in.

He was no fool. Someone was attacking him…by attacking his mate. He cursed loudly in his tongue, something he had done only once before, when he suffered his first defeat at the hands of a mentally damaged third class.

"Vegeta." The Saiyan prince spun around, shock written all over his face as Goku stood before him. He cursed himself inwardly, annoyed that his attention had been so diverted that he hadn't felt the ki of his greatest rival in the room with him. Pulling himself together, Vegeta straightened and crossed his heavily muscled arms over his chest, a deep scowl marring the young prince's handsome features. "I…"

"I know you had nothing to do with it, Kakkorot. Other than my mate obviously having better taste than to mess around with someone as beneath her as you, it was also only a dream. I'm not stupid to take it out on her for which she had no control over." He turned his back onto the young Saiyan, hoping he'd get the hint and leave. Truth be told, Vegeta was scared, really scared for the first time in his life, and he didn't want his rival to see it. Someone was threatening one of the two things in his life that means more to him than his own selfish needs or pride, more than his own life. Yes, it was only a dream, but the dream was not what disturbed him greatly.

It was her reaction, her complete and utter despair and pain and loss. Her body and soul reacted violently at the loss and punished her…that their bond had been severed was proof of that. In all of the Saiyans glorious history, no Saiyan had ever survived the loss of a bond, so how much more a weak Earthling? Bonding in itself was a rare occurrence, but a soul bond…was like becoming a Super Saiyan, a once-in-a-millennia-when-the-heavens-were-aligned occurrence…but just as he, Vegeta, Prince of All Saiyans had amazingly ascended as well to the legendary Saiyan of lore, both he and his rival had bonded with two Earth females…completely and absolutely. This notion of "love" that these Earthlings thought was the penultimate of affection, paled in comparison to that of a soul bond. Vegeta had a feeling Kakkorot would know, though. And…as Goku knew, Vegeta also knew the consequences of a broken soul bond.

Pain and torment that would break the two greatest warriors in the universe…so how much more horrendous for a weak Earthling, a weak, delicate, fragile Earthling woman that was HIS mate?

A swift death would be welcomed with open arms…but alas…that would not be the case. Bulma would suffer more than what Frieza had ever inflicted on Vegeta, and if Frieza had brought the very strong and very proud prince to his knees, Bulma stood no chance whatsoever.

He was beyond "love" for Bulma. That's why he refuses to utter the four letter word; it was completely inadequate to explain what he felt for her and their son. And to have her attacked…just like "love" was a poor word to describe his need for her, anger was terribly deficient to even come close to touching his rage. Extremely insufficient.

A sliver of sunlight slipped into the abnormally quiet g.r as the two men stood motionless in it, one trying to open a dialogue with the other extremely stubborn silent individual. Goku frowned. He felt for Bulma's ki, and Vegeta growled, whipping back around, fire blazing in the eyes of the normally emotionless warrior.

"Stay away from her, Kakkorot! Her well-being is of no consequence to you!"

"No, that's where you're wrong, Vegeta! Bulma is my sister, she's my family too! I don't know what the hell is going on, but I'll be damned if I'll just sit back and watch her wallow in pain! She means more to me than you'll ever know!" Unusually, Goku growled back, his tail whipping behind him angrily, puffed out to twice its normal size, a deep frown mirroring that of Vegeta's.

The two men stared at each other, anger and fear making both of them extremely irrational. Goku was the first to blink and break the tension, his hand wearily wiping the sweat from his brow. Vegeta just humphed and absently shook out his tail before wrapping it protectively around his waist. He scrutinized the young warrior closely, seeing the look of fear and concern, that he hoped was not showing in his own eyes.

"She had a nightmare. One that…broke our bond." The shocked silence that hung in the air was thick and palpable, Goku's heart sinking as the prince's words impacted him heavily.

"Oh God, Vegeta…is she…is she…"

"She's…asleep. I'm making sure of that." The worried prince said tightly. Goku could see the fear haunting Vegeta's eyes. He knew how much Bulma meant to the older Saiyan, as much or even more than what Chi Chi meant to him, and that was saying a lot. Other than Bulma and Trunks, the gruff warrior had no friends or family, save for Goku himself and to a lesser extent, Piccolo, each having an indomitable healthy respect for one another, because of the fact that they both had been truly evil…until love found them. In Goku's case, they both were extremely, competitive rivals, with one recognizing the other's class, power and stature that demanded respect, and the other grudgingly, reluctantly, acknowledging the power of the other. But they held a common, undeniable bond: Bulma.

And someone was hurting the woman whom they both loved.

"What happened? And what do you mean you're making sure she sleeps?" Vegeta shot the young man a withering look, seeing a quizzical but extremely worried look plainly visible in his dark eyes. What could he possible say to him? She had an extremely terrible nightmare, one where she was in the throes of extreme passion and lust with you, to which I found out about, reacted horrifically, causing her so much distress and pain that it broke our fucking bond? Yeah. That would go over very well, Vegeta thought dryly, his face darkening more as the recollection of this idiot and his mate fucking slammed into him again. But all he could do was close his eyes and sigh heavily.

"If you were still a Saiyan, you'd know what I was talking about, Kakkorot." The agitated prince said snidely. "We Saiyans are far more advanced than most species in the universe. Just as these humans, particularly human females, have the uncanny ability to soothe a screaming child with maternal care and gentleness, we Saiyans have the ability to keep those close to us 'asleep', basically shielding them from further torment, either externally or…" Vegeta stopped. He'd said far more than what he wanted to, and he mentally kicked himself for doing so. He could see the look of incredulity all over Goku's face, eyes wide, body tense and rigid, wonderment and realization sinking in.

"…Internally." The younger warrior finished his thought, and Vegeta could only scowl and nod curtly.

"She was, is…extremely exhausted, pained…body, mind and soul. I'm holding onto her now, even as we speak. I must. I am not going to lose her!" Anger was radiating off of Vegeta in alarmingly increasing intensity, his eyes crackling with deadly fury and hate for the one who cowardly attacked him through his mate. How dare they! How dare anyone attack that which is most precious to him in this whole damned universe! The veins on his forehead, his neck and immensely powerful arms were swollen and distended, the blood pulsing through them.

"Vegeta…I…dreamt…" Goku began slowly. Embarrassment was the least of his worries, the volatile nature of the only other being in the universe powerful enough to seriously rival Goku was what concerned him the most. Vegeta snapped his gaze to Goku, and the blaze that had been barely seething beneath exploded into an all-out inferno.

"I KNOW WHAT YOU SAW! I saw it too! I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but there you were, there you BOTH were! Fucking, two lovers enjoying each other! How dare you! How dare she!" His fury erupted, his ki flaring angrily out, the sweat sliding down his sinewy body as every muscle was taut and twitching, anger not being repressed or held back any longer. Goku just stood silently, holding his gaze unwaveringly, meeting Vegeta's enormously angry gaze head on.

"That would never happen, Vegeta. You know that! Besides the fact that I am completely and totally in love with my mate, Bulma is also family, my sister for Kami's sake! Bulma is above all else faithful and loyal! After what she'd gone through with Yamcha, she KNOWS the pain of betrayal! And even more importantly, above everything else, she is completely in love with you, she always has, Vegeta, and you damn well know she always will be! We both know she would lay her life down for yours or Trunks, you know that!" Goku's own anger was a force to be reckoned with and Vegeta knew it was rare for the soft-hearted Saiyan to become angry, but then again, where his family and friends were concerned, there wasn't a power in the universe that could hold his rival back if they were ever threatened. A few deep-held breaths composed the powerful prince, no, Goku was as much shocked and angered as he was. Both men knowing the consequences of a bond broken. Both angered with someone they love being attacked.

"It is obvious someone is trying to get back at me…by attacking my mate. But obviously, you're being targeted as well. You, I don't care…but her…" The young prince closed his eyes and sighed. Through their link, he could feel her, her breathing soft, even, her mind closed in a protective blanket he blanketed her with. He was keeping her in a deep, dreamless sleep, feeling how spent and exhausted her body was at the mental trauma she experienced. If a few minutes of a broken bond produced this…how much more if this became permanent? He mentally reached out and caressed her, a trembling light touch delicately whispering his love for her. He felt her unconsciously smile, warmth and unlimited love flowing back to him through their link at full force. All only for him. He smiled inwardly. This was something that only he shared with Bulma. Though many found him to be a cold, crude and insanely aloof to everyone, especially toward his own family, this external perception was wrong. This was why Bulma never doubted Vegeta's feelings for her, nor would she ever do so. He always did this, no matter what he was saying or doing outwardly. The seemingly cold warrior always touched her, always whispered or kissed her through their bond, a vast majority of the time, he was the one initiating the contact.

"Vegeta…she'll have to wake up some time…"

"I know that, you idiot! But she needs to rest! She's been attacked! Fuck, Kakkorot! You should understand! If this had happened to your harpy, would you do any different?" Vegeta's tail whipped in the air angrily, puffed and swollen, the fur bristling the air as it lashed about behind him, like a cracked bull whip. The prince's normally composed, cool, calculatedly aloof eyes holding none of the anger back, freely flowing, deep and frightfully unending. The taller warrior just stared, Vegeta was right; he would not react differently to protect his wife, to protect his family.

"I am keeping a close eye on her, Kakkorot…just as I know you are keeping close tabs on your mate." Vegeta smirked as Goku's eyes widened, the younger warrior completely unaware that Vegeta could sense his own protective watch over Chi Chi as he felt her beginning to move around their small home, getting everything ready as the dawn was breaking over the horizon. "It is a product of our bond, Kakkorot. It is an innate response, when you see someone else going through a horrific situation, the instinctual need to protect that which means more to us than our own lives. This is why we Saiyans bond extraordinarily rarely; bonding can be a weakness. A link that can be psychologically attacked, a weakness…that can be exposed." Vegeta looked away again, the worry etched across the prince's furrowed brows "The way that mine is being attacked." Goku shuddered unconsciously, he could only imagine the stress and torment the young prince was experiencing, helpless to prevent pain from attacking his friend's mate, his own sister.

"Vegeta…you know…this is only going to intensify, don't you?" He was afraid to utter those words, saying so might push the distressed prince over the edge, but it needed to be said. Vegeta met his eyes and once again, Goku flinched imperceptively, the look of terror and anguish clearly visible in the dark orbs, something he'd never expected…or wanted to see…in the proud, fearless prince.

"Yes…I know. And…I have no idea how to stop this, Kakkorot. None." A whisper barely audible passed from his lips, his fear clearly evident. "I need to try to figure out who's doing this, Kakkorot, then…they will pay." The fire lit from the cauldrons of fury deep within the dark prince, his resolve the only thing keeping him from destroying the planet that he'd come to accept now as his home. "Be warned, Kakkorot. Bulma is not the only one being targeted. Someone knows both of us very well. Someone is hoping that I will turn on my mate, that I'm easily manipulated. I cannot guarantee…your mate will not suffer the same fate." The heaviness in Vegeta's voice belied the worry he felt about Bulma, and Goku could only nod, empathizing with the young prince. The first twittering of birds broke the tension that was draped heavily in the air. Vegeta, trying to recover some of his composure, wrapped his tail around his waist and strode to leave the g.r, giving Goku one last look before he opened the door and shut it behind him, leaving the taller warrior in his place. Vegeta's footsteps softly padded across the yard as he headed for the quarters he shared with his mate. Goku stayed for a long time, lost in his own thoughts as he tried to find a way to help his friend and longtime rival, giving up when an answer would not easily come. He sighed and closed his eyes, his two fingers rested wearily on his forehead as he zeroed in on his mate's ki, the feel of her in his arms and holding her tight the only thing he wanted to do on such a dreadfully horrible day.

The last thought that flitted through his mind was one that left him with foreboding and dread; to save the future, Bulma must be saved.


	5. An Enemy Revealed

**Disclaimer: You can't imagine the kind of naughty things I'd do to Vegeta if I did own him ;) , but alas, I don't, not any of them. :(**

**A/N: Thanks so much for all the love and reviews! It truly means a lot to me, thank you! I hope you like this too, please r/r, thanks again! :)**

**Ch. 5 – An Enemy Revealed**

Vegeta exhaled slowly, the scowl on his face more pronounced than ever as he headed back inside. Seeing Goku in the flesh and hearing him only proved to irritate him further, to say that he completely believed him…or his mate…was a stretch. Deep down, he knew this was neither Bulma's or Kakkorot's fault, but he was still Vegeta. He was still the same man who'd suffered for most of his life under the rule of a monster. Doubt, anger, suspicion, all these emotions are part and parcel of the man the prince had become. He was struggling to keep his faith…the faith in the bond and love he shared with his mate.

He opened the door and entered the compound, threading his way through the vastness of the home, heading towards the room that he shared with his beloved. He opened the door slowly, the heavy drapes still drawn, preventing the annoyingly happy rays of life from flooding into their quarters. Though this is how he normally preferred their room, he found himself inexplicably opening the drapes slightly, as if some part of him was hoping the sunlight would vaporize the despair that hung in the air.

He turned back around and gazed at the fragile creature huddled under the covers he left her in. She had migrated and claimed his side, her arm draped over his pillow. He could see she'd buried her face into it as well, breathing as much of his scent as she could. Her pained expression tore at his soul, knowing that she was unconsciously looking for him, but not finding him near her. He could see a fresh trail of tears had claimed her face, and he could hear her breathing hitch hoarsely, having spent most of her voice on heart breaking sobs. Her hair splayed all around her, making her look even more delicate than ever before. From his mental hold on her, he knew that she was truly horrified and shaken by what she'd experienced, by the nightmare she had of betraying him, causing their bond to break, causing him so much pain.

So how could he sincerely even doubt her?

He guiltily padded over to the bed and slipped his clothing off, gently cradling her as he reclaimed his side. He draped her over him and held her tightly, his tail snaking its way up to her thigh, gently caressing her as it looped possessively around her.

Vegeta sighed deeply as he slowly caressed her. What the hell could he do? Who the hell was doing this? He didn't realize his grip around Bulma had tightened considerably but her sudden plaintive mews of pain snapped him out of it and he gasped as he released her, imprints of his fingers already discoloring the pale, delicate flesh on her lower back. He was horrified at causing her pain, no matter how unintentional it may have been, the tear escaping from her eye causing him to shake with regret as he cuddled her closer to him, gently whispering his apology to her.

"…I'm sorry Vegeta, please forgive me…I swear…that wasn't me…please….please forgive me my love…" She whispered painfully, a tear escaping, she was dreaming again, but though he had an iron grip on her, the trauma had been so great, she was still reliving the nightmare, her pain and horror playing back over and over again, like an old 8mm film.

"Ssh, watashi no ai, I know…I know…"

A fine tremor raced through her body, her face scrunched up into pain and horror again, he could see she was going through it again. With alarm, he sat up, hovering over as he shook her gently, trying to get her to wake up.

"Bulma! Bulma wake up! Wake the fuck up!" No! How could she still be going through this! Why is this happening again? His control was airtight, it had never failed him before!

What the hell was going on?

Bulma started convulsing, her arms flailing about, her legs thrashing wildly against the bed. Her breathing became dangerously erratic, fast, raspy, she seemed unable to breathe, her skin feeling cold and clammy.

"BULMA!"

He loomed over her and pinned her down, as much of his body as he could without hurting her. He could feel her body straining against him, the torture her mind was under causing her body to react violently, every muscle, every nerve screaming in pain as she convulsed.

'KAKKAROT!'

'Vegeta? What's wrong?'

'She's going through it again!'

'What! Oh Dende no!'

'That's exactly what you have to do! Go and talk to that brat and see if he can do anything to block this now! I don't know if she'll survive this!' The worry and fear was clearly heard in his voice as he screamed at Goku, loathed to ask him for help, but not having much choice given Bulma's current state.

'Do you have an Senzu beans, Vegeta?'

'No, why?' Vegeta ground out. He was scared. Really scared. Bulma continued to buck and writhe uncontrollably. If she didn't settle down, he was worried that she would break herself in two. Her breathing was coming out more labored, gasping and broken, sweat covering her body, yet he felt her skin cold and clammy as he held her. She was still thrashing and straining against his hold, the violence of her movements causing the Saiyan Prince to helpless look on, powerless to stop her.

"Bulma! Bulma please wake up!" The desperation and anguish clearly evident in his voice. He tried to reach her, but she was not there, and his eyes widened in fear and apprehension as he desperately ran through her mind, looking for her.

Goku could sense the wild fluctuations coming from the Briefs residence as he stood staring in front of his mate. He had just taken his startled mate into his arms when Vegeta broke into his consciousness. The fear and desperation in his voice not sitting well with the younger warrior, and he knew for Vegeta to ever show those emotions, something terribly wrong must be happening to Bulma.

'Vegeta listen to me. Aren't you able to find her?' The firmness in his voice gave the distraught Saiyan Prince somewhat of a grasp to hold onto and he refocused on Goku's question.

'No! Because her physical self is in so much stress, I'm having a hard time finding her!' The concern crept back in as he desperately held onto his mate.

'The Senzu beans should calm her body down, enough for you to find her and bring her back, to bring her out of this.' The intelligence in Goku's words startled the prince, but then again, Goku would know more about the healing properties of the damned beans more than himself.

'Do you have, Kakkorot?' He was loathed to ask anyone for help, let alone his greatest rival, but he was not about to risk losing his mate, and if that meant swallowing his pride and asking the third class for help, then so be it.

'No, I'm sorry, I don't, I was hoping you would.' Vegeta growled in frustration, evident in their link "But I'm going to Korin's right now. I'll be back right away!'

'Hurry Kakkorot! I cannot lose her!' The fear in his voice laced within his words to the young warrior.

'You won't, Vegeta. I swear, you won't.'

Their communication closed, Vegeta tried to refocus onto his distressed mate once again. The pain and mental anguish she was experiencing shooting through him as well, the horrified realization dawning on him that she would not be able to take much more should this torture draw out. He was fighting the tears that he could feel gathering behind his eyes, the terror of losing the only one who ever cared for him gripping his heart, threatening to suffocate him. He tried again to reign her in and pull her back, searching for her within the darkness of her mind.

There! He could see her! A tiny, blue speck off in the distance. The darkness that surrounded them was daunting but he didn't let that deter him as he ran to her.

"Bulma!" He roared out, hearing the anxiousness in his voice as he headed for her.

"Vegeta…" Bulma turned and saw her prince. He could tell she'd been crying, looking for him as he'd been looking for her. She tried to move towards him…but was abruptly halted, realizing she was surrounded in an invisible barrier, preventing her from reaching her Saiyan Prince, her beloved. Panic shot through her as she screamed, screamed out for him.

"Vegeta!"

"Bulma!" He saw she couldn't go any further, the panic in her eyes reflecting the panic in his. As he got to her, he pounded on the invisible barrier that separated them, that separated him from his mate. He could see the fear and hopelessness on her face, and his wild desperation to get to her was making him more and more angry at being prevented from reaching her as he rained heavy, angry blows at the barrier between them.

"Having problems, my little monkey prince?"

A voice he'd not heard in a long while echoed all around them, and Vegeta's blood ran deathly cold. There was no mistaking who the voice belonged to.

"Frieza."


	6. Death is Only Skin Deep

**Oh Bulma, It Was Just A Dream!**

**A/N: Hey everybody! Hope you're all enjoying your holidays. Here's the latest, sorry if it's short, but I cut to the chase, made it short and sweet! The Kiss and CSI are being worked on and should be updated before Christmas (crossing my fingers!)…I also have been working on another one shot songfic…kinda part of the reason for the delay on the updates on these guys, sorry! Just couldn't resist. ;-) Well on with the show…and as always I don't own DBZ…don't sue please! :D**

**Ch. 5 – Death is Only Skin Deep…**

"So Vegeta, my little monkey prince…I've missed you! Have you missed me?" The cold, mocking tone underlying the pale lizard's words were not lost on Vegeta, his skin crawling as his fear and anger rapidly shot his temperature up, his ki beginning to grow angrily around him as he beheld his former master.

"How the fuck are you here? Kakkarot killed you back on Nameck!"

"Ha,ha,ha, correction my little ignorant monkey. He used my own technique against me. Cut me in half…" If it were even possible, Vegeta saw the cold lifeless eyes of his former master grow even colder "but left me alive to float forever in the depths of space. I didn't die until that fuckin' brat cut me down with his sword! How dare he! Doesn't he know I'm the most feared being in the Universe!" The veins on the sides of Frieza's temple and neck bulging, as the memory ignited the flames of anger and hatred.

"…Funny how a mere child" Mischief and cruel irony twinkling in Vegeta's own dark orbs alight with flames of fury "…a mere SAIYAN child, got the best of you, huh?"

In the eerie quiet of Bulma's darkness, Vegeta surreptitiously felt for his mate, her panic and fear freezing her cold behind the invisible barrier that separated them. His own panic was threatening to break him, all he wanted to do was to bring his beloved out of this foreboding catacomb, out of the horrific assault she was being subjected to.

But he had to stay in control, the only one of either of them that was capable of any semblance of it right now. Because they're lives depended on it.

"So, Vegeta. How's your mate?" The cruel curl of the monster's lips deepened the Saiyan Prince's scowl, a positively frightful, snarl rumbling out, Vegeta's blood beyond boiling as the cold monster looked on in glee, floating happily in front of him.

"Leave her out of this, Frieza. It's me you want, not her."

"Au contraire, my dear monkey prince. She is what I want. Because her pain is yours…and it's been such an orgasmic pleasure seeing the distress you've been in. Besides," Frieza floated closer to Vegeta, but suddenly veered to his left, floating ominously towards the terrified and stricken Bulma "…from what I've seen, you're not entirely sure your mate doesn't harbor these thoughts about Goku, hmm? I know you, Vegeta. How do you know I'm not just bringing forth something she secretly desires? After all, Vegeta…" Frieza suddenly disappeared, Vegeta looking wildly about, scanning for the lizard. Where the hell had he gone?

"…Such a beautiful creature like this, going to bed with you every night? Bearing you a spawn? Heh. I'm sure this little slut wouldn't hesitate to bed the next available man…or even me..." Bulma whimpered in fear from the cold, dead fingers trailing lazily down her neck as she shrank away. All around them, flashes of red in all different variations exploding in the darkness, Bulma's physical self reacting distressingly to the intruder, the assailant in her mind.

"LEAVE HER ALONE YOU GENDERLESS FREAK!" Vegeta exploded, immediately turning into Super Saiyan 2, Bulma's fear and distress angering him to no end, his ki exploding uncontrollably around him. He was rapidly losing control. The violation his mate was feeling, that was unfolding right in front of him fueling the rage and anger swirling in the prince.

Vegeta doubled his efforts in attacking the invisible barrier, the only thing separating him from her. Frieza laughed, cruelly watching tiny cracks begin to appear as the enraged prince pounded, each blow harder and angrier than the one before.

Another mew of fear and distress shot through Vegeta, snapping his attention back to her, his mate so afraid, it was all she could do.

"No! Damn you! Leave her alone! It's me you want, not her!"

"Oh, I don't know, Vegeta. I've already had you…I think it's time for a new play toy…"Bulma's eyes widened in fear as Frieza advanced, looming over her, forcibly pushing her down, his tail slithering sickeningly higher and higher upon her leg. The scream that left her ripped through Vegeta, a terrified, soul ripping scream that tore him apart, his breathing halted as he helplessly stood mere inches away, powerless to stop the horrific sight before him.

"You never answered my question, Frieza. How the fuck are you here?" Frieza stopped. Turning, his brows narrowing angrily over hooded, beady eyes, Vegeta's sudden calm demeanor behind the partition something that Frieza knew all too well, setting off all the alarms within him.

The Saiyan Prince was never more dangerous than when he was just now, a true definition of the calm before the storm. Distractedly, much to Vegeta's relief, Frieza stepped over the quacking female beneath him, a slow measured smirk curling cold frozen lips as he tauntingly sauntered closer to the barrier, eyeing Vegeta dead in the eye, anger and fury crackling dangerously between them.

"A loyal lieutenant of mine, Shogujo, survived the decimation that brat caused. He was enough of a coward to hide when the brat attacked. After you all left, he took an escape pod into space." Frieza disappeared again, reappearing behind the Saiyan Prince, hovering threateningly close. "He found a distant civilization with the know how to disturb the fabric of space and time, and "convinced" them to educate him, as well as letting him "borrow" their equipment. It was just a matter of time until he found me, and so here I am…death is only skin deep, my dear prince." The monster coldly laughed, the sound crawling over Vegeta, his skin reacting violently, repulsed, his insides churning in disgust.

"Of course, the Noguro weren't too happy with him borrowing their equipment, but he took care of that, as you used to do for me all those years before, remember, Vegeta?" Vegeta scowled even more, the memory that was invoked, the horrors he bestowed with frightening efficiency and cruelty that now haunted him nightly, the screams and pleas for mercy a constant reminder of the terror he relished in…it was the only way he knew how to escape from the torture and terror he was subjected to at Frieza's hands.

"Shogujo is smart as much as being a coward, and he managed to add a few modifications to the technology, allowing me to enter your little whore's mind and well, a few well-placed implanted dreams…well, watching your slut of a mate grow weaker and weaker has just been a peach! Your distress and feelings of helplessness…priceless Vegeta!" Frieza cackled wildly, his ghostly presence appearing and reappearing randomly.

Vegeta was seething as he listened to all of this, his hands clenching at his side, staring angrily at Bulma lying on the ground. To be tortured by Frieza again was bad enough. But to torture him by slowly killing his lover, the mother of his child, one of two reasons for him finding some measure of peace from all the horrors of his past deeds…his soul mate who loved him unconditionally and protected him as best she could…

Frieza stopped cackling as Vegeta screamed out his agony, Bulma's immobile frozen form, her tears…it was more than he could bear. He raised his hand in front of him, palm facing the partition, his thumb bent. A searing lance of energy burst forth as he released it, his howl of despair, anguish and fury accompanying, finally shattering the invisible barrier that kept him from reaching Bulma.

Frieza gasped in surprise as Vegeta destroyed the barrier. He could only watch as Vegeta rushed over to his mate, carefully cradling her as he picked her up. Regaining his composure, Frieza crossed his arms and began laughing heartily again, the anger on Vegeta's face one of the only things he took pleasure in.

"So, you've broken through, eh, monkey boy? Tell me. How will that change anything now, hmm? You can't stop me. I'm dead, remember? There's nothing of me for you to destroy, so there's nothing to stop me from entering your little whore's mind and driving her to madness…and her death." Vegeta angrily snarled, holding his mate closer to him "Wonderful, isn't it? You're helpless Vegeta…and your mate will be mine."

"Don't you ever call her that. She's not a whore. She never was and she never will be."

"Oh? Are you sure about that?" The apparition's eyes before him twinkling, enjoying the look of torment "I can see right through you, Vegeta. Remember, I made you. I know how you are. You aren't entirely convinced…what your slut's been dealing with has been out of her control, are you Vegeta? Could they be hidden desires she harbors for your rival? Secret wishes of hers that struggle to be restrained? How do you know she wouldn't fuck Goku, your greatest rival, if she ever got the chance? After all…he's better than you. Stronger than you, isn't he Vegeta?" The veins popping along the Saiyan Prince's temple was becoming more pronounced, throbbing angrily as Vegeta's blood boiled. "Come now, Vegeta. Do you really believe that they're relationship is strictly platonic? Strictly that of a "brother and sister" when they aren't even related? The strongest fighter in the universe…more than eclipsing your power…maybe she settled for second best, Vegeta? After all, Goku already has a mate, doesn't he? She couldn't have him so of course she'd settle for second best…you. But that doesn't mean if the opportunity presented itself…if Goku ever gave a hint of attraction towards her…that she wouldn't fuck him…fuck him hard, all night long, in the bed you fuck her in…"

"ENOUGH! I've had enough of your bull! She would do no such thing to me, you manipulating bastard! She loves me! You're the one doing this to her, to me! She does not feel that way for the clown! Do you hear me Frieza! She is mine! She's mine completely! She would never do that to me!" Vegeta's hold tightened, his fingers digging into her. Though not of flesh, she felt his squeeze nonetheless, mewing plaintively in unconscious pain. Vegeta gasped and looked down, horrified at himself for doing something that caused her pain. It was bad enough she was being assaulted by Frieza, but to cause her pain as well…

Frieza just threw his head back, laughing uncontrollably again at the anguished prince. He floated menacingly towards them, his eyes squinting, a disgusting purple tongue coming out to lick his lips, his mouth drooling at the delicious pain the Saiyan Prince and his mate was going through.

Vegeta growled, backing up as Frieza advanced, turning his body to shelter her as much as he could. He had to get her out, to get both of themselves out, but he was unwilling to do so with the lizard still in Bulma's head. She moaned pitifully, Frieza's invasion into her mind causing her body to turn on itself, reacting violently to his presence. Vegeta could see the flashes of blue and purple all around them. His mate was dying in his arms, convulsing violently. And he was helpless to stop it.

"NO, NO, BULMA! Hold on! Don't let go, please, DON'T LET GO!"


	7. Desperation

**Oh Bulma, It Was Just A Dream!**

**A/N: Hey everybody. Again I apologize for not updating on a more regular schedule. I'm pretty sure everyone's pretty sick and tired of any excuse, and to that end, I will not offer any. Again I apologize, I have not abandoned my stories, please read and review and as always I don't own DBZ…don't sue please! :D**

**Ch. 7 – Desperation**

"Trunks!"

"Hey Goku."

The powerful warrior blinked and rubbed his eyes rapidly as the powerful youth from the future appeared and stood before him. It had been a year since the last time they'd laid eyes on him, a year since the nightmare of the androids and Cell had been realized unto their universe. Goku could see that Trunks was rapidly becoming more and more of a man, more powerful and definitely more reminiscent of his powerful sire, the Prince of All Saiyans. What Goku wondered though was why Trunks would be in the here and now in their time…especially considering what was now happening. Chi Chi released her husband as she smiled.

"Trunks, you're looking more and more like your father every time you come back!"

"Hello Chi Chi. Well thank you. I never thought I'd ever take that as a compliment, but I do now. I hope you and Gohan have been well?"

"Of course, we're doing well…" Chi Chi's smiled contritely. After hearing from her husband what Vegeta and Bulma were going through right now, it felt wrong to her that she should feel fortunate that she and Goku were flourishing. "Gohan is out with Piccolo, Trunks, but I'm sure that they'll be back soon…"

"Trunks…I have to go see Dende. Will you come with me? We have to talk." Trunks swallowed heavily and looked down, nodding.

Nothing really needed to be said between them, Goku had a feeling Trunks already knew what was going on. Too many horrors this young man has had to experience, even compared to himself, how Trunks has managed to remain decent, loving, hopeful…a true testament to his mother. His courage, determination, immeasurable power, cunning, strength and extreme loyalty a mirror image of his father.

He shook his head sadly. No child should ever experience that which Trunks has, no one deserves this. Goku's comfort is that he and his father and all of their friends from this timeline were able to help the young man finally bring an end to the horrors in his time. And that the young son that was born from the love shared by his parents in this timeline will have a different future to look forward to as well.

If they can fucking figure out who the fuck is causing all this shit!

'Goku!'

'Ah, sorry Chi, I'm sorry you heard that.' He sheepishly looked down into her eyes, the worry and concern clearly etched across her face as she stared up at him. A small sigh escaped her lips as she closed the distance between them, her whole being engulfed in his powerful embrace. His own fear of her being attacked heavy and palpable in the air, his grip tightening almost painfully as he held her close, burying his face into her neck, nuzzling gently the mark he left on her so long ago.

"Aahh, ahem…" A small embarrassed cough brought the young couple back to the present, a red-faced teenager shuffling his feet uncomfortably as he tried to look everywhere but in their direction.

"I'll be back soon, Chi. Let me know if you need me, ok?" The seriousness in his eyes was unnerving as she bravely smiled and nodded, pushing him away.

"Yes, yes, Goku, don't worry I'll be fine! Now go…you both need to hurry." And with that they took off, quickly becoming two tiny specs in the sky as they flew farther away.

"How…how is she, Goku?" Goku slowed down as he looked sideways at the young warrior. He was bravely trying to put up a calm front, but the pain and fear in his eyes betrayed him easily.

"How much do you know, Trunks?"

"I know that she is being attacked right now, Goku. I…received images from her."

"…what? What do you mean you've received images from her?" Trunks fell silent again. Goku could feel his mouth hanging open as he tried to process what the young man had just said.

"I don't know how, Goku, but my mother has been giving me bits and pieces of what she and dad are going through. It's as if she's managed to find a way to project to me despite the difference in time and space." The silence between them was deafening, Goku completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words.

"Mom, my mom doesn't even know what to make of it, although when I told her about it, she looked as if she was going to faint. Which told me that this did happen, although probably differently. The way she looked at me…I don't know, I've never felt fear before the way I did. I don't think my mom here knows that she's sent me images, but ever since I first came back, Goku, you know there's been a very strong bond between us, even though I'm from a completely different time and space…she's still my mom."

"I'm not going to lie to you Trunks. Bulma is not doing well." A small twitch, a dead-ringer for his father's belied the stress he was going through, the unspoken graveness of his young mother's situation not lost on him.

"Your father, Vegeta's inside her mind right now, he needs to get her out, but he's having a bit of trouble right now…"

"What do you mean?"

"…after I left your parents place, Vegeta got a hold of me. Bulma started convulsing again, even though your father was mentally holding her down. Somehow…she was attacked again. If we don't hurry and speak to Dende or get the senzu beans, Bulma…she's going to break herself in two, Trunks. And you know your father, Trunks, he's never going to leave without her."

Trunks heart was in his throat as he felt the blood drain away from his face. He felt the tiny pricks of his hair along his forehead as he blindly followed his friend. The wind hissed angrily in his ear as his vision began to cloud, the stinging in the back of his eyes angering him further.

Goku was not surprised as a roar erupted behind him and a piercing golden beam shot swiftly past him, the enormous surge of energy trailing behind the very pissed off youth. Yes, Trunks was most definitely Vegeta's son. From what Trunks has said before, there was no guardian in their future, no specific outlet he could go to for advice or information. For him to intimately know so much about the lives of the people here in this time…the connection to his family must indeed be supremely strong.

The clouds began to break and thin out as the grand immense structure of the lookout rapidly came into view. It was sad, really. Almost all of the times that he, Gohan or any of their friends came up here were because of a dire need, a threat to the world or for any number of reasons to use the dragonballs. Goku realized that hardly ever it was just because to visit old friends and hang out, to enjoy life as it was.

"Goku! Trunks!" The unmistakable bellow from the short, long-haired fat blob that was Yajirobi stopped them in midair as they were speeding by, both warriors slowly hovering outside of the marbled balcony.

"Hey Yajirobi, we don't really have time to chat right now, we're on our way to see Dende, but say, you wouldn't by chance have any senzu beans ready, would you?"

"Huh, that's all you guys ever do, come up here to ask for shit. You know you guys are really ungrateful, Gok- "

"Whoa, hey now Yajirobi, I think that's uncalled for, don't you think? We come up here to ask for help to defeat those who are bent on destroying the planet and the people we love! Tell me how is it that we are ungrateful?"

Before the short lazy blob could respond, he found himself flattened against the far side of the balcony, the marble crumbling down around the depression his body made as he was plastered against it.

"You fucking fat bastard! How dare you speak like that! At least we DO something to protect people! When the hell have you ever done anything to help save anyone?! Oh wait, that's right, you could give a fuck!" The fire blazing in Trunk's eyes was burning a hole through the terrified man he had in his grasp, short of a miracle, nothing could save him.

"Yajirobi! Why the fuck would you say something like that?!" Three pairs of eyes turned to the far shadows to the left, a small white furry creature emerging from the shadows, his characteristic staff leading the way.

"Trunks, Goku, please pay him no mind. You know he's full of it." Korin tried to placate the angered Saiyan, even though the so-called warrior deserved it. He let out a sigh of relief as the powerful warrior's grip released suddenly, unceremoniously dumping Yajirobi in a heap. Goku wiped the fine sweat that had begun to bead at his hairline as he turned to the feline.

"Korin, we have a really bad situation right now, you wouldn't happen to have any senzu beans on you, would you?" A small smile emerged, whiskers twitching as he produced a small pouch he had hidden beneath his fur.

"Unfortunately Goku, yes, I kinda have an idea. I'm not sure if this will help Bulma though, you know you need to get to the root of the problem don't you?"

"I know but we have no idea how to begin helping Bulma. I was thinking Dende might be able to –"

'KAKAROT! Where the fuck are you?!' Goku jumped as the Saiyan Prince's voice boomed through his consciousness. Trunks and Korin looked on puzzled at his sudden frazzled appearance.

'What's wrong Vegeta?'

'What do you mean what's wrong?! What did the Namekian say?! What can be done to save my mate?!'

'Vegeta without knowing how or who is attacking Bulma-'

'It's Frieza you idiot! Frieza!'

"FRIEZA?! But that's impossible Vegeta! He's dead!" Three pairs of eyes were wide with disbelief, realizing what was now causing Goku's odd behavior.

"Frieza? But…how?" Trunks whispered. No, how the fuck can this be?! He's dead! I fucking killed him, it can't be him!

'I'm looking at him right now, moron, there is no mistake!' Vegeta's anger and desperation was slamming into the younger warrior angrily. If anyone had ever doubted Vegeta's feelings for Bulma (Yamcha) that had long been demolished. Most of the warriors knew of the sour prince's feelings for her, even if he never showed it, it wasn't something that was ever really hidden. The bond between them oozed from their being.

'Vegeta, have you found her?'

'Yes, but I am not leaving her here with him! But I don't know how to get her the fuck out!'

'Father.'

'Trunks?!' The two older warriors started in disbelief as the young man entered the conversation 'How the fuck are you talking to us? And why the hell are you back?!'

'No time for explanations father, what can I do to help mother?'

'You can start by taking the moron and asking the Namekian boy where the hell is Frieza's goon. That's how this freak's been able to cross into our plane, he has help from the living world. Destroy the fucker and his equipment and I can save my mate's life!'

'Wha-'

'Shut up Kakarot! Just do as I say!'

As suddenly as it began, the three way communication ended, time standing still as it slowly sunk in. In a brilliant golden flash, Trunks took off for the top of the humungous structure. Goku gave a long apologetic look to the sage old feline and followed, the precious pouch safely tucked in his chest.

'Dende, I hope you can help us.'


End file.
